Flower-holding and grave-covering device.



J. c. VAN AKEN. FLOWER HOLDING AND GRAVE OOVERING DEVIOE.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 3, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 19090 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR;

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J. G. VAN AKEN. FLOWER HOLDING AND GRAVE GOVBBING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

2 SH HTS-SHEET 2.

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JOHN C. VAN AKEN, OF RIDGWAY,PENNSYLVANIA.

FLOlVER-HOLDING AND GRAVE-COVERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1908.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Serial No. 455,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. VAN AKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ridgway, in the county of Elk and State of Penn sylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Flower- Holding and Grave-Covering Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to provide a flower-holding and grave-covering device of such a character as to be conveniently trans orted, and which is of suchconstruction t at it may be connected with the straps by which a casket is lowered into a grave in such a manner that as the casket descends the flower-holding device, with its burden of floral decorations, will be automatically moved into osition to cover the open grave, and in whicli position it may be left during the concluding funeral exercises and until the family and friends have departed and the grave is to be filled.

To this end the invention com rises a foldable frame-work including trac s on which a flower-holdin and grave-covering carriage may run, and 311011 frame-work, when in operative position, will referably be partly supported by a casketowering device such as is in common use, and partly by suitable standards detachably or foldably connected with the said frame-work, the flower-holding and grave-covering carriage being preferably made extensible and contractible, so that it may be adjusted to a collapsed or contracted condition for convenient transportation, suit able flexible connections being provided whereby the carriage may be connected to -the stra s of the casket lowering device, so that as t e casket is lowered the flower-bearing carriage will be automatically moved to a position to cover the open grave, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings Figurel is a perspective view of the invention, illustrative of the o eration thereof. Fig. 2 is a partial longitu inal section of the frame of the apparatus, with the flower-holding carriage in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the portion of the frame-work providing tracks for the flower-holding carriage which is shown in side elevation in position on the said tracks. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one-half of the two-part frame in folded condition convenient for transportation.

Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes a casket-lowering device, which may be of any ordinary or well-known construction, and which is usually in the form of a rectangular frame provided with straps 13 which may, if desirec be placed under tension by any suitable friction devices. The lowering device is usually su ported by benches 14 at a convenient heig it over the grave excavation, as shown in Fig. 1.

The present invention comprises a folding frame-work which, as herein shown, consists of two disconnectible parts each of which comprises two slotted end pieces 15, and two grooved side pieces 1 6 connected together by hinges 17 and pivotally connected with the said. end pieces 15 by thumb nut bolts 18, the said end pieces being detachably and adj ustably connected together by thumb nut bolts 19. This construction is such that the two arts constitutin the frame-work or support for the flower-ho ding and grave-closing carriage may be disconnected from each other and may each be folded for convenient transportation as shown in Fig. 4; but when extended into position for use the said frame-work may be supported at one end by simply resting on the lowering device 12, or by being tem orarily attached thereto by means of corrs or straps 20, while the opposite end of said frame-work will preferably be su ported and steadied by slotted legs or stanr ards 21 attachcd to the frame-work by thumb nut bolts 22. If desired, suitable pegs, as 23, to be partly driven into the ground, may be connected with the said framework by steadying chains 24 or other suitable flexible connections.

The flower-holding and grave-covering carriage comprises a suitable contractiblc and extensible frame-work which is herein shown as consisting of two slotted side pieces 25 and two slotted end pieces 26 which are capable of adjustment in or out, and which may be secured in any desired position of adjustment by means of thumb nut bolts 27. The top or flower-sup orting )illi] or platform of the carriage wil prefera ly comprise a series of metal'tubes 28 each of which is flattened at one end and attached to a side bar of the carriage, and a series of metal rods 29 fitting in said tubes and also having flattened outer end portions attached to the opposite side bars of the carriage so that in con tracting or extending the carriage laterally the rods can slide in said tubes telescopically; while in contracting or extending the framework of the carriage longitudinally one series of said rods and tubes on one part of the carriage frame can slide over the similar series of rods and tubes on the other part of the carriage frame, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The carriage is pro vided with suitable legs 30 each furnished with a wheel 31 adapted to run in or on the tracks afforded by the feldable side "ie'ces 16 of the supporting frame, said sir e pieces being preferably grooved to receive said wheels.

While the contractible and extensible earriage referably comprises the telescopically adjustable tubes and rods above referred to,

it will be understood that any suitable equivalent, as canvas or other fabric, and which will pro erly support the floral pieces, might be einp oyed insteadof the said rods and tubes; and it will also be understood that the said rods and tubes, constitutin the flower sup ort or latform of the carriage, may (an preferaiily will) be covered by canvas or other suitable fabric when in use.

The side and end pieces 25 and 26 of the adjustable carriage, and also the end pieces 15, of the adjustable frame, will preferably be provided with gage marks, as shown, for convenience in uniformly adjusting two opposite parts of said carriage and frame.

The operation of the invention will readily be understood from the foregoing. In trans porting the apparatus to a cemetery the can riage will preferably be contracted to the smallest possible compass by sliding the end and side pieces thereof as near together as possible,and the two arts of the portable will at such time e disconnected from each other, and will each be folded up with the parts parallel to each other, as shown in Fig. 4; but when the apparatus is to be put into use the framework will be extended and secured together as shown in Fig. 1, and the carriage will be likewise extended to correspond to the frame-work by which it is supported, and on which it is adapted to run. Of course it will be understood that both the carriage and its supporting frame-work, in being adjusted for use, will be extended in accordance with the size of the grave excavation which is to be covered. When the casket which is to be lo'WeredintO the grave is first placed in position it will be su ported on the lowering device 12, and at this time the carriage bearing the floral decorations will be run back on its supporting frame a suitable distance and will be connected with the casket lowering straps 13 preferably by means of wire cords 32, such connections being preferably made by suitable hooks 33 at one end which can be engaged with the slots at the rear side of the carriage, and which wire cords may be connected with the lowering straps l3 at their other ends by similar hooks, and which may, if desired, be sharpened for engagement withsaid straps. Thus when a casket, as 34, is being lowered, and the straps 13 are drawn downward, the flower-holding carriage will be automatically drawn forward so that when the casket has descended to the bottom of the grave the said carriage with its floral decorations will be over the lowering device 12, and will thus serve to cover and hide the grave from view. To this end it will be understood that the fiower holding carriage will preferably be so extended so as to have a considerable larger area than the grave so that even if the lowering device be placed in a position some little distance above the ground the open grave will still be hidden by the flower-holding device. The quiet automatic movement of the flower-holding and graveclosing device to its graveeoverihg position, as the casket is lowered, will add considerably to the impressiveness of the ceremonies.

The invention is not to be understood as being limited to the details herein shown, as such details may be varied considerably,- within the province of mechanical skill, without dearting from the spirit of the invention; a though the best form thereof, so far as is at present known, is herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A. flower-holding and grave covering device consisting'of a framework comprising suitable tracks, a carriage provided with wheels to run on said tracks, and means for connecting said carriage with the casket lowering stra s, so that as the casket is lowered the lower-bearing carriage will be automatically moved to a position to cover the grave.

2. A flower-holding and grave-c0vering device consisting of an adjustable and foldable frame-work comprising suitable tracks, a contractible and extensible carriage provided with wheelsfitted to said tracks, and means for connecting said carriage with the casket-lowering straps, so that as the casket is lowered the flower-bearing carriage will be automatically moved to a position to cover the grave.

3. A flower-holding and grave-covering device comprising an adjustable and fold'able frame-work consisting of two detachable parts each of which includes four pieces jointed together so that they may be folded parallel to each other and twoof which pieces are constructed to afford foltl'able tracks, combined with a carriage provided with wheels fitted to run on said tracks.

l. A flower-holding and grave-covering device comprising an adjustable and foldable frame-Work consisting of two detachable parts each of which includes four pieces jointed together so that they may be folded parallel to each other and two of which pieces are constructed to aflord loldable tracks, combined with a contractible and extensible flower-bearing carriage provided with wheels fitted to run on said tracks.

5. A flower-holding and grave-covering device comprising a suitable supporting frame having tracks, combined with a con tractible and extensible flower-holding carriage fitted to run on said tracks and the top or platform part of which is composed of telescopically adjustable rods and tubes, the former fitting in the latter, and attached at their ends tov the side-bars of the carriage.

6. A flower-holding and grave-covering device consisting of an adjustable and foldable frame-work comprising suitable tracks, combined With a contractible and extensible flower-bearing and grave-covering carriage fitted to run on said tracks and the upper or platform part of which is composed of a series of metal tubes attached to one side-bar of the carriage and a series of metal rods attached to an opposite side bar of the carriage and fitting telescopically in said tubes.

7. A flower-holding and grave-covering device consisting of an adjustable and foldable frame-work comprising suitable tracks, combined with a contractible and extensible flower-bearil'lg and grave-covering carriage fitted to run 011 said tracks and the upper or platform part of which is composed of a series of metal tubes attached to one side-bar of the carriage and a series of metal rods attached to an opposite side bar of the carriage and fitting telescopically in said tubes, and means for connecting said carriage with the casket-lowering straps, so that as the casket is lowered the said carriage will be automatically moved to a position to cover the grave opening.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. VAN AKEN. \Vitnesses:

FRED L. CLARK, J. A. MAY. 

